Monday's letters: U.S. infrastructure

Published: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 23, 2012 at 4:28 p.m.

To the editor: Since the end of World War II, we have not lost one American civilian or soldier from an attack against the U.S. by a sovereign nation. Yet according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2011 the U.S. spent $739.3 billion on our military as compared to our two “potential opponents,” Russia and China, who spent a mere $142.5 billion combined.

Other countries are busy building and repairing their infrastructures, such as the Dutch who immediately built dams after the massive floods of 1953.

In America, we have lost tens of thousands of citizens due to natural disasters such as forest fires, tornadoes and hurricanes. The flooding of New York’s subways and tunnels might have been minimized if they had listened to advice after Katrina that New York City needed to update its systems with modern technology. We lose one-third of our fresh water supply due to leaky pipes.

If a portion of the money spent on the military were instead invested in repairing and improving our fresh water systems, highways, bridges and tunnels, imagine how much property and how many lives would be saved while adding to our prosperity and reducing unemployment.

Steven Z. Levinson

Hendersonville

Election reactions

To the editor: I belong to a local gym where the recent election was a large topic of discussion. My wife and I just returned from an extended trip and were looking forward to hearing the reactions to the election.

The reactions were very interesting:

u The Democrats are quietly pleased.

u A local tea party leader was disappointed but resolved to work to mitigate the perceived excesses of the Democratic agenda.

u Anti-Barack Obama people loudly opined that Obama is arrogant for laying out his agenda just a week after his victory.

My take:

u Obama won. Nothing will change that. If you disagree with his policies, it is your right to attempt to change them through the political process.

u No amount of scripture quoting, alliterative vituperation or threats of impeachment will change the fact that Obama is president of the United States.

Can I send the anti-Obama forces a challenge? Write your letters and fulminate all you want, but at the end of your letter, tell us what concrete steps you are taking to make your community, town, state and country a better place. My goal in the coming year is to devote time and money to a local elementary school.

Jack Jacques

Laurel Park

Let’s be realistic

To the editor: Since Producer-Director Vincent Marini came to Flat Rock Playhouse, the cast of actors who were so familiar and entertaining to most of us have dispersed, replaced by a lot of imported glitzy shows. The playhouse spent a lot of money overexpanding onto Main Street. I think it assumes there is a bigger theater-loving market here than really exists.

Excuse me, but its made its “business decisions,” and we taxpayers are not and should not have to be responsible for bailing it out now. Bring back the old cast of lovable, professional actors and scale back to a realistic, market-driven level of stage plays.

<p>To the editor: Since the end of World War II, we have not lost one American civilian or soldier from an attack against the U.S. by a sovereign nation. Yet according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2011 the U.S. spent $739.3 billion on our military as compared to our two potential opponents, Russia and China, who spent a mere $142.5 billion combined.</p><p>Other countries are busy building and repairing their infrastructures, such as the Dutch who immediately built dams after the massive floods of 1953.</p><p>In America, we have lost tens of thousands of citizens due to natural disasters such as forest fires, tornadoes and hurricanes. The flooding of New York’s subways and tunnels might have been minimized if they had listened to advice after Katrina that New York City needed to update its systems with modern technology. We lose one-third of our fresh water supply due to leaky pipes.</p><p>If a portion of the money spent on the military were instead invested in repairing and improving our fresh water systems, highways, bridges and tunnels, imagine how much property and how many lives would be saved while adding to our prosperity and reducing unemployment.</p><p><em>Steven Z. Levinson</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Election reactions</h3>
<p>To the editor: I belong to a local gym where the recent election was a large topic of discussion. My wife and I just returned from an extended trip and were looking forward to hearing the reactions to the election.</p><p>The reactions were very interesting:</p><p>u The Democrats are quietly pleased.</p><p>u A local tea party leader was disappointed but resolved to work to mitigate the perceived excesses of the Democratic agenda.</p><p>u Anti-Barack Obama people loudly opined that Obama is arrogant for laying out his agenda just a week after his victory.</p><p>My take:</p><p>u Obama won. Nothing will change that. If you disagree with his policies, it is your right to attempt to change them through the political process.</p><p>u No amount of scripture quoting, alliterative vituperation or threats of impeachment will change the fact that Obama is president of the United States.</p><p>Can I send the anti-Obama forces a challenge? Write your letters and fulminate all you want, but at the end of your letter, tell us what concrete steps you are taking to make your community, town, state and country a better place. My goal in the coming year is to devote time and money to a local elementary school.</p><p><em>Jack Jacques</em></p><p><em>Laurel Park</em></p><h3>Let’s be realistic</h3>
<p>To the editor: Since Producer-Director Vincent Marini came to Flat Rock Playhouse, the cast of actors who were so familiar and entertaining to most of us have dispersed, replaced by a lot of imported glitzy shows. The playhouse spent a lot of money overexpanding onto Main Street. I think it assumes there is a bigger theater-loving market here than really exists.</p><p>Excuse me, but its made its business decisions, and we taxpayers are not and should not have to be responsible for bailing it out now. Bring back the old cast of lovable, professional actors and scale back to a realistic, market-driven level of stage plays.</p><p><em>S.J. Brown</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>